Says “Holding Power Accountable Is The Media’s Mandate”
Jammu : Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office, Dr Jitendra Singh, on Friday said that efforts are on to develop early warning systems for cloudbursts and earthquakes in Jammu and Kashmir.
Addressing the media workshop ‘Vartalap’ organized by the Press Information Bureau (PIB), Ministry of Information & Broadcasting here, Dr Singh said, “Scientific initiatives are underway to study cloudbursts and earthquakes and provide timely early warning alerts to citizens in Jammu and Kashmir.”
Pertinently, more than 150 people lost their lives due to sudden flash floods and landslides triggered by cloudbursts in Jammu’s Kishtwar and Katra Districts last month.
Dr. Singh said that while precise forecasting of earthquakes and cloudbursts remains a challenge, scientific efforts are underway to identify contributing factors and provide possible early warnings.
He explained that cloudbursts typically occur when heat and humidity accumulate in a concentrated area and noted initiatives such as the Himalayan Ecology Mission to study these phenomena. “The government plans to establish a full-fledged India Meteorological Department (IMD) regional centre in Jammu and install four additional weather radars across the Union Territory, with the tendering process to be restarted following a limited initial response,” he added.
Dr Singh said the media serves as a vital bridge between the government and citizens, playing a key role in spreading awareness about schemes, scientific achievements, and disaster preparedness. “The success of welfare programmes across sectors depends on how effectively information reaches beneficiaries. Timely and accurate dissemination ensures transparency and encourages public participation in governance,” he added.
Dr Singh cited the CSIR-Aroma Mission in Jammu & Kashmir as an example of a scheme whose outreach through media has motivated citizens to engage with rural entrepreneurship and agri-based startups.
Referring to young Indian space scientist Shubanshu Shukla, Dr. Singh said media is crucial in highlighting the contributions of scientists and bringing their achievements into public awareness.
He added that while Indian media has advanced in outreach and technology, there is scope to develop domain-specific journalism to provide citizens with detailed and accurate insights on complex issues.
Dr. Singh also spoke about India’s startup ecosystem, which has expanded from 350 startups in 2014 to over 1.5 lakh in 2025, making the country the third-largest startup hub globally. He said media plays a transformative role in shaping innovation by creating awareness and sharing success stories.
Highlighting Jammu & Kashmir’s contribution, he said more than 3,000 lavender-based startups have been established across rural areas under the Aroma Mission, generating employment and income for local families. He invited private investment to set up perfume distillation facilities in Jammu to develop the region as a hub for the perfume industry and mentioned his visit to Grasse, France, to explore international collaboration opportunities.
Director PIB Jammu, Neha Jalali, said PIB will provide support to media professionals to access authentic information, helping ensure that government schemes reach citizens. Other speakers included Dr. Suphala Gupta, CSIR-IIM Jammu, who spoke on Aroma Mission Phase-III and rural entrepreneurship; Dr. Ashutosh Gupta, Principal, GMC Jammu, on improvements in public healthcare; and Sansar Chand Sharma, IMD Jammu, on early warning services and disaster risk management.
The workshop saw participation from around 100 media representatives and concluded with an interactive question-and-answer session on government flagship programmes, including the Aroma Mission and the growing startup ecosystem. Zakir Nazir, M&CO, PIB Jammu, delivered the vote of thanks
